The Declaration of Independence states that “Governments are instituted among men deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, that whenever any form of government become destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and institute a new government.”

As a retired American history and government teacher, I taught that Colonial Americans were not against taxation. They revolted against “unjust” taxation without proper representation.

Now, we have an expenditure of over $5.2 million enacted by the Auburn City Council against the expressed wishes of more than 1,000 attending tax-paying homeowners. That is not proper representation. The arrogance and puppetry demonstrated that night leaves no doubt that the action taken by the people in establishing the newly formed group, United Citizens of Auburn, is justified.

The preamble of the United States Constitution begins with the words, “We, the people,” which gives authority to the above rights. Obviously, the Auburn Council has ignored “we” the people. Complaints that night were not against taxation per se, but rather against runaway spending, unrealistic taxation levels and a total lack of proper representation.

We all heard the shots fired around the hall that night, and unless the council takes responsibility and cleans up its mess, “we the people” will exercise our rights and clean up the house before the 2006 election.

Richard Doucette, Auburn